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All-Star return for Sosa up to fans

All-Star return for Sosa up to fans

CHICAGO -- Sammy Sosa is on the All-Star ballot. Nelson Cruz and Brad Wilkerson are not.

All-Star voting begins today online and at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on April 22, and Sosa, Kenny Lofton and Frank Catalanotto are the club's three outfield representatives on the ballot.

Catcher Gerald Laird, first baseman Mark Teixeira, second baseman Ian Kinsler and third baseman Hank Blalock are also in the ballot, which was released on Wednesday.

Fans can cast their votes for starters up to 25 times with the Monster 2007 All-Star Online Ballot at MLB.com and all 30 club sites until Thursday, June 28 at 10:59 p.m. CT.

Fans around the world will again have the opportunity to select the final player on each All-Star team via the Monster 2007 All-Star Final Vote. The vote will begin immediately following the 2007 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show Presented by Chevrolet, which will be televised by Turner Sports on Sunday, July 1.

Selecting the rosters isn't the end of the fun in 2007, either. Concluding the All-Star balloting process, fans will have the opportunity to participate in the official voting for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player presented by Chevrolet at the All-Star Game via the Monster.com 2007 All-Star Game MVP Vote at MLB.com.

The All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports and televised around the world by Major League Baseball International. ESPN Radio will provide exclusive national radio coverage, while MLB.com will offer extensive online coverage and MLB Radio will have exclusive play-by-play coverage of the game on the Internet.

Sosa is a seven-time All-Star, the last time coming in 2004 when he was still with the Chicago Cubs.

The Rangers did not have a starter in the All-Star Game last year for the first time since 1991. Michael Young went as a reserve for the third straight season and ended up as the Most Valuable Player when he hit a two-run triple off Trevor Hoffman in the ninth inning to give the American League a 3-2 victory in Pittsburgh.

Blalock has played in two All-Star Games in 2003 and 2004, and Teixeira played in the 2005 game in Detroit.

T.R. Sullivan is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.